important

They’re dealing with it. Despite riots outside of parliament, Greek MP’s approved strict terms of a harsh $100 billion buyout, the country’s third in just five years. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras managed to piece together enough votes to pass the measure even though members of his own ruling Syriza party came out against the measure. At least 15,000 protesters gathered in opposition to the anticipated deal, which will impose new taxes and steep cuts in government benefits. However, even with government approval, Greece’s energy minister said the plan will never be accepted by the public.

Sustainability

Iranians took to the streets in celebration, and President Obama hailed it for making the world “safer and more secure.” But some U.S. conservatives shook their heads, and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu declared it a “historic mistake.” American lawmakers now have 60 days to review the agreement, which aims to curb Tehran’s nuclear centrifuges and enforce inspections in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. Some Republicans are aiming to derail the deal, along with the president’s legacy. But Obama is promising to shoot down any attempt with the power of his pen.

The Fallout

It phoned home. Thirteen hours after yesterday’s historic flyby of the “dwarf” and erstwhile ninth planet, the New Horizons spacecraft sent a signal saying it had survived. Having waited nearly 10 years for the triumph, the earthbound NASA crew back in Maryland responded with cheers and tears. The success means man-made crafts have now visited each planet in our solar system, and researchers say unprecedented scientific data has been collected, including amazing new photos of the planet’s surface that NASA’s sharing here.

Out of This World

It was a nest of cybercrime. An international coalition seized the illicit hacking forum and arrested 28 people after an investigation that stretched across 20 countries. The site, which was password protected and jealously guarded membership, was a hotbed for hundreds of criminals trading resumes, services and stolen data — one of the few in English. The FBI, which has charged 12 Americans so far for racketeering and selling malware, among other things, says this takedown could change the way we understand — and fight — crime online.

Hacker Haven

The facts aren’t in question: James Holmes stormed a Colorado movie theater in 2012, killing 12 people and racking up 165 charges, mostly of murder or attempted murder. But his lawyers dispute that he was in control of himself at the time, and have asked the jury to send him to a mental hospital for an indefinite period, rather than imprisoning and executing him. There’s no set timetable for the jury’s discussion, but the families of victims — and those who were wounded and scarred by Holmes’ crimes — will be anxiously awaiting closure.

Insanity Defense

Second-quarter growth in the world’s second-largest economy was higher than expected at 7 percent. The steady progress hints at the success of stimulus measures — interest rate cuts and drops in banks’ reserve requirements — put in motion late last year to stem the decline. It also means the country is at pace with Premier Li Keqiang’s full-year growth prediction. While some analysts are skeptical and others hopeful, many are still urging caution and continued monetary easing by Beijing in light of the recent share sell-offs.

Briefly

intriguing

That’s one expensive ride. The rideshare giant was hit by the California Public Utilities Commission who accused them of failing to disclose business practices, including accident details and disabled vehicle accesibility. In addition to the fine, there’s a pending 30-day suspension for operation in the Golden State. The steep financial hit comes on the heels of an undisclosed settlement amount in the wrongful death lawsuit of Sophia Liu in 2013. It’s looking like if the disruptive ridesharing company wants to continue its dominance over the taxi companies, they’re going to be held to the same rules.

Rideshare Woes

Picture this: Classrooms trying to educate kids using the internet when those kids can’t get online once they reach their houses. For the approximately half of low-income American kids who don’t have home internet access, that’s just reality. To complement ConnectEd, the federal initiative attempting to get high speed internet into nearly all American schools, the White House has announced ConnectHome, which will get the web at little or no cost into currently unconnected impoverished homes. The pilot program, supported by Google, rolls out today with an initial goal of connecting 275,000 households.

Broadband Agenda

It’s not just the early bird. This time researchers at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm found the sperm remains of an unknown worm species 50 million years later. Using electron microscope images, scientists discovered the fossilized cell fragments — which predate the previous record-holder by 10 million years — entombed in the wall of a cocoon. While they won’t be able to extract DNA from it, researchers hope the find will shed light on the evolution of earthworms and leeches.

Worming Ways

President Obama’s not mincing words — but his hands may be tied. He made clear that drugging someone you intend to have sex with — something Cosby has admitted to in a court deposition a decade old — is unequivocally rape, and that the U.S. should have “no tolerance” for such actions. But when it comes to Cosby’s 13-year-old Presidential Medal of Freedom, the president says there’s no mechanism for stripping the comic of the honor — though some senators are still calling on Cosby to return it voluntarily.

Disgraced Idol

He’s not afraid of gender parity. Calling the all-female cast, “adorable, hilarious and badass,” the spectral fighting alum announced via Twitter that he was busy shooting a cameo with star Kristen Wiig. He’s taking a more open-minded approach than some of his former co-stars, including Bill Murray, who has so far refused to reprise his Peter Vankman character. It’s still unclear who the Saturday Night Live legend will play in the reboot, but he’s rumored to portray an unhelpful cab driver who recreates one of the original film’s key phrases before fleeing into the night.

Team Player

Was ist los? A new study of global educational requirements finds that U.S. students are woefully behind when it comes to expanding their linguistic horizons. Almost all European countries require that young children learn a foreign tongue — notable exceptions being Ireland and Scotland — but without any comparable requirements, the U.S. saw only 18.5 percent learning a new language in 2008. This, say linguistic experts, is depriving kids of much-needed cognitive skills, prompting a warning that “English is not necessarily the lingua franca.”

Plain English

Ordinary citizens don’t want to look back. Everyone assumed that criminals and public figures would be the ones scrubbing their images under Europe’s “right to be forgotten” data protection laws. But leaked Google figures show that more than 95 percent of 220,000 demands came from normal folks asking the search engine to purge their old minor embarrassments or reminders of personal tragedies. While the tech giant’s been under fire for not being more transparent, leaks like this can help experts determine the efficacy of such laws.

Online Oblivion

“There’s no such thing as TMI,” says Lena Dunham of her new project Lenny , a self-funded weekly Internet newsletter promising articles on life, news, activism and tube tops. She’s targeting millennial women while showing the “ugly and complicated thought processes” that form someone’s identity and their own “brand of feminism.” Dunham wants to inspire a following, but not necessarily a response: Commenting won’t be allowed on the site, set to launch in September, because there may be such a thing as too much … interactivity.

Sound Advice

“Prince Fish” made a big splash. The 23-year-old Angels outfielder became the first to be named All-Star MVP two years running and only the fifth two-timer ever. The New Jersey native — who’s been compared to Yankees legend Mickey Mantle — came out blazing with a lead-off homer, becoming the first player in 38 years to round the bases in the first at-bat. In what’s becoming a tradition, the AL went on to beat the NL 6-3, securing World Series home-field advantage.